Welcome to the World, Spiritual Misfit!

I’ve mentioned before that I weep every time I read the acknowledgements section in my own book. If Brad sees me looking a little misty-eyed, he’ll ask, “Hey, have you been reading your own acknowledgements again?” And then we crack up, because it is a little lame to cry over your own book.

Writing and releasing a book is a lot like pregnancy and labor – a really, really, really long pregnancy and labor in my case. And you know when you have a baby how you get all weepy with gratitude for all the people who helped you along the way? Well that’s how I feel about this book. I am weepy with gratitude for all the dozens of people who helped birth Spiritual Misfit today.

Just keepin’ it real, people!

Thank you, Mom and Dad — Mom, for your example of unwavering faith and Dad for your partnership and companionship as we’ve wrestle-walked our way to God.

Thank you to my husband Brad, who always, always said I would find faith.

Thank you to my kids, Noah and Rowan, who show me the hand of God in everything from the call of a chickadee in the river birch tree to the gargantuan Great Plains grasshopper who scares the heck out of me.

Thank you to my late in-laws, Jon and Janice — Janice, for always knowing in your heart that this book would find a publisher; I know you are smiling down at this moment. And Jon, for rounding up every spare Barnes and Noble gift card in your house and wallet and handing them over to me so I could buy my very first Bible.

To my pastors Greg, Sara and Michael and to my church community at Southwood Lutheran Church. Thank you for helping me understand what the words “church family” mean.

And lastly, thank you to every single person who reads this blog – whether you just visited for the first time today or have been following along this journey for the last five years.

I told a group of women at a retreat this past weekend that I started blogging for one reason only: to build a platform to support a book I hoped to publish. I never expected to find such incredible gifts in this crazy blogosphere. Thank you for reading; for your encouraging comments and emails that have kept me putting fingers to keyboard all this time; for your friendship, compassion and empathy; and for showing me that God lives in the most unlikely places – even in cyberspace.

{Yeah, I’m weeping again}

If you read Spiritual Misfit and it resonates with you, please consider giving a copy to someone you think needs to read this story. I wrote the book for myself and for all those wrestling, wandering and questioning on the spiritual journey. It is my heart’s prayer that the person standing on the cusp of faith, wondering where and even how to start, will find the beginning of an answer in this book.

Giveaways

Okay, now the fun part! Let’s have a book baby shower!

I have a few sweet little gifts to offer you in celebration of Spiritual Misfit‘s birthday. If you order/purchase a book between today and next Monday, you’ll be entered into a random drawing to receive one of the five following gifts.

Simply send your online book purchase receipt or proof of purchase to michellederusha1@gmail.com for a chance to win.

One winnerwill receive this super-cute bird-on-a-wire necklace, six handmade bird-on-a-wire note cards and a personalized, signed copy of Spiritual Misfit. {which means you can give your purchased copy of the book to a friend}

Two winnerswill receive a selection of eight handmade note cards (made by yours truly) and a personalized, signed copy of Spiritual Misfit.

And two winnerswill receive a personalized, signed copy of Spiritual Misfit.

And…pop around and visit some of these lovely bloggers who have SO very graciously written reviews, conducted Q&A interviews with me and have been cheering heartily for this day for weeks now. These posts are written by the Spiritual Misfit book launch team, led by the uber-talented Lindsey Hartz, and let me tell you straight-up, I don’t think I could have made it through the promotional stage of this book launch without these folks!

Yahoo!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Singing these words at the top of my lungs today: “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad and be glad!” (Psalm 118)

Reader Interactions

Comments

YAYAAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAAA!! (That is my completely incoherent screech of celebration) I am so happy to see this, and thrilled to watch the dream unfurl in the most beautiful of ways. May the good Lord carry this book into the hearts and homes of all of His misfits, and may they see that really, they fit perfectly in His upside down Kingdom. Thank you for sharing your story, for your honesty and your commitment to keeping it real. I love you! *cheers*

I’m so excited for you! And anxious to finally get my book. I pre-ordered the dang thing like 20 years ago, and Amazon tells me I should have it on the 18th. Cannot wait to read it. Also, you were amazing Saturday morning at Southwood. I brought my mom and sister with me—and you now have 2 more fans. 🙂

I woke up today in a fit of emotion: laughing, crying, dancing, and thanking God! Whoo-hoo! It’s here! The book is HERE! Michelle, this book is SO good! I’m thrilled that the world gets the chance to read it, and to know it’s okay to live with both faith and doubt. God can handle it. He’s not put off, or disenchanted by our wonderings and wanderings. Thank you for pressing on…always pressing on…even when it would have been so much easier to just call it a day. I am proud of you, and happy for you, and—most of all—so grateful for our friendship. God knew I’d need you, and I will forever be grateful for that snowy night at The Mill, when we met in person for the very first time. We’re celebrating today! Whoo-hoo!!!

Dear dear Michelle,
What an exciting day for you. And for us! I’m so eager to read your heart. Spiritual Misfit is cozied up on my Kindle just waiting for a few quiet moments. Praying God will bless your words.

Congratulation on your book release Michelle. Even though I don’t know you, we have a mutual friend in Jennifer Lee Dukes. You are in my prayers as your book releases today. May God keep you through the mad rush of book signings and all that comes with being an author. God bless!

This post brought me to tears! Every photo is precious. And the giveaways – people are going to be so blessed! Congratulations, Michelle! Thank you for the blessing of being on your launch team! It was a blast!

Michelle – I love your book and I love your heart. True to self. True to us. I can’t wait to see what God will do with your words. Funny – affirming – and full of faith. Well done, good and faithful servant!

I’m so HAPPY for you Michelle! I can’t wait for your book to arrive so I can dig in. I really enjoyed your talk last Saturday at the Women’s Spring Retreat at church. It just solidified what I think of you that I get from your blog and your other internet writings – you’re absolutely real, smart, faithful, & funny. I look forward to your words every day and you inspire, lift me up, and make me feel like I have a companion in my walk of faith. Enjoy this day like no other because you deserve all the joy in the world! 🙂

THIS IS FABULOUS. I am so happy for you, so proud of you, so grateful to call you friend. May you continue to be blessed on every step of this journey, dear Michelle. (And I LOVE the photos and the gifts – and you’re a genius. That is all.)

Woot! Woot! Fistfuls of Cheez-Its in the air!
Wasn’t sure I was going to get a post written–I owe so many to so many others that it’s embarrassing. But that just means I have amazingly talented friends, right?

In any case, wishing you all best, dear Michelle. Praying your words will minister to another misfit on his or her journey. And, just for yucks, I tagged Cheez-Its on my post 🙂

Ok, Michelle, so the Lord is going to have to deal with me for breaking my Lenten blog fast in order to shout through the cyber-rooftops for my dear friends who are launching their books before Easter! And you and Spiritual Misfit are surely one! I call your book a friend, because I know it will join its family of my other well-worn, dogged-eared mentors in my library of must-reads and must-read-agains! Am I allowed to dog-ear, underline, and highlight your baby?! I told Jennifer Lee (at least I think I did) that I always wondered why authors chose the birth metaphor, instead of trying to devise a better, fresher one. But frankly, once you endure these creative labor pains, you realize there is simply NO better metaphor that will work. You, like me (in my case ten, long years), endured particularly difficult literary labors. But surely God had His reasons, and He delivers His baby books in His own perfect timing. I really believe that. Now, my dear Michelle, is HIS timing for your book, and I couldn’t be happier for you! So please consider me a proud auntie! I am here in St. Louis cheering you on, and as soon as I receive my pre-ordered book, I will joyfully read it and post a review and share the good news with my friends. I love you and believe in you and in this wonderful writing gift with which the Lord has graced you. I think God has graced Brad, too, so tell him I am awaiting his own Magnum Opus soon. And also, please tell that dear dad of yours, I just know he is bursting his buttons about now…..your mom, too, of course!
All my love,
Aunt Lynn

Congrats!!! Happy baby book shower! What a great idea!!! Bought 2 copies @ the refresh my heart conference, & just pre-ordered another copy from amazon to give away! Can’t wait for it to arrive. Such a great read & from such a beautifully authentic woman. Loved it! Thanks Crystal

As a fellow spiritual misfit, congratulations on your book! {I came over from Kimberly Coyle’s and I couldn’t not leave a comment.} I hadn’t heard about it until I read her post and review of the book. It looks wonderful, like something I needed back in my own days of struggling to believe…and like something I can still use on any given day {if I’m being honest.} : )

Oh congratulations Michelle. I am soooooo happy for you and cannot wait to read your book. I just ordered on Amazon after reading Amy Sullivan’s review of your book and then tracking back to your page for more details. So happy for you!

I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did
you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you?
Plz reply as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like
to find out where u got this from. appreciate it

[…] Oh, and one more thing: I didn’t get that many book order receipts emailed to me yesterday, so if you bought Spiritual Misfit online, email/forward the receipt to michellederusha1@gmail. com so you can be eligible for one of the lovely giveaways pictured here! […]

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Living out faith in the everyday is no joke. If you’re anything like me, some days you feel full of confidence and hope, eager to proclaim God’s goodness and love to the world. Other days…not so much.

Let me say straight up: I wrestle with my faith. Most days I feel a little bit like Jacob, wrangling his blessing out of God. And most days I’m okay with that. I believe God made me a questioner and a wrestler for a reason, and I believe one of those reasons is so that I can connect more authentically with others.